Ch. 19 Energy Balance in the Atmosphere Study Guide PDF

# Ch. 19 Energy balance in the atmosphere ## Study Guide - All objects emit electromagnetic radiation at some wavelength. Ex: a hot iron bar glows red because the excited elections and atoms are emitting visible light in the red wavelength. - Earth's surface emits radiation in the infrared waveleng...

# Ch. 19 Energy balance in the atmosphere ## Study Guide - All objects emit electromagnetic radiation at some wavelength. Ex: a hot iron bar glows red because the excited elections and atoms are emitting visible light in the red wavelength. - Earth's surface emits radiation in the infrared wavelength. - What is albedo? Reflectivity, usually expressed as a percentage, or high/low. - High: Ice, snow - Low: asphalt, trees, water - Why does Earth remain relatively warm at night? Earth has an atmosphere that absorbs infrared radiation from the surface, this is called the Greenhouse Effect. - What are the main Greenhouse Gases - CO2, Water vapor (H2O), Methane (CH4) - Which atmospheric conditions will best absorb radiation? Clouds are condensed water vapor, they will absorb more infrared radiation. - How is energy transferred? - Conduction - Through contact - Convection - Moving fluids - Radiation - Electromagnetic waves - What is specific heat? Water has a high specific heat. Sand, less. Think of a coastline. - Latitude effect on temp. Generally cooler at greater latitude. Sunlight angle steeper - June 22nd = Summer Solstice, N. hemisphere tilted toward the Sun. - What causes seasons? Tilt of Earth plus orbit around Sun. - What is special about the Spring and Autumnal Equinoxes? Every spot on Earth receives 12 hrs. of sunlight - Factors affecting atmospheric temp. - Wind, ocean currents, albedo, proximity to oceans, latitude, altitude ## Essay Question Thoroughly explain the Greenhouse Effect.